In return, the
latter was always on the look-out for promising young men, who, either by
their capability of speech-making or article-writing, might advance the
views of his party. Recognising the powers he most valued in Ralph, he
spared no pains to attach him to his own political set. When they
separated, it was with the full understanding that they were to see a
good deal of each other in London.
The holiday Ralph allowed himself was passing rapidly away; but, before
he returned to his chambers and his hard work, he had promised to spend a
few more days with Ellinor; and it suited him to go straight from the
duke's to Ford Bank. He left the castle soon after breakfast--the
luxurious, elegant breakfast, served by domestics who performed their
work with the accuracy and perfection of machines. He arrived at Ford
Bank before the man-servant had quite finished the dirtier part of his
morning's work, and he came to the glass-door in his striped cotton
jacket, a little soiled, and rolling up his working apron. Ellinor was
not yet strong enough to get up and go out and gather flowers for the
rooms, so those left from yesterday were rather faded; in short, the
contrast from entire completeness and exquisite freshness of arrangement
struck forcibly upon Ralph's perceptions, which were critical rather than
appreciative; and, as his affections were always subdued to his
intellect, Ellinor's lovely face and graceful figure flying to meet him
did not gain his full approval, because her hair was dressed in an old-
fashioned way, her waist was either too long or too short, her sleeves
too full or too tight for the standard of fashion to which his eye had
been accustomed while scanning the bridesmaids and various highborn
ladies at Stokely Castle.
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